PROCEEDINGS

	IN THE CASE OF:  

	BOARD DATE:             29 July 1999                 
	DOCKET NUMBER:   AR1999015854

	I certify that hereinafter is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in the case of the above-named individual.  

	Mr. Loren G. Harrell		Director	
	Mr. Paul A. Petty		Analyst	

  The following members, a quorum, were present:

	Mr. Charles H. Loudermon		Chairperson	
	Ms. Shirley L. Powell		Member	
	Mr. Curtis L. Greenway		Member	

	The applicant and counsel if any, did not appear before the Board.

	The Board considered the following evidence:

	Exhibit A - Application for correction of military 
                records
	Exhibit B - Military Personnel Records (including
	            advisory opinion, if any)

FINDINGS:

1.  The applicant has exhausted or the Board has waived the requirement for exhaustion of all administrative remedies afforded by existing law or regulations.

2.  The applicant requests, in effect, that his Enlisted Record and Report of Separation from World War II show his combat unit of assignment, that he be awarded any military awards for which he is authorized but has not received; and that he receive a separation certificate for the same period showing his combat unit of assignment.

3.  The applicant states that during WWII, he was in combat with Provisional Company 4, 14th Armored Infantry Battalion, 1st Armored Infantry Division following the Battle of the Bulge.

4.  The applicant’s military records show that he was inducted into the Regular Army on 2 February 1943.  On 4 September 1943, he was shipped overseas to the European Theater of Operations arriving 16 September 1943.  He held the rank of Private (PVT).

5.  The applicant is one of 2221 Negro Volunteers that volunteered for infantry duty in response to a call for such volunteers from non-combat units to replaces infantry losses following the Battle of the Bulge in WWII.  A condition of volunteering for Negro soldiers was administrative reduction Private (PVT) or Private First Class (PFC).  After volunteering, the applicant received combat infantry training in France and was assigned to Provisional Company 4, 
14th Armored Infantry Battalion, 1st Armored Infantry Division, as a PVT in the MOS 745, Rifleman, according to his Report of Separation.  He fought with this unit in combat.  He departed Europe on 1 September 1945 and arrived back in the United States on 12 September 1945.  He was honorably discharged as a PVT on 6 November 1945 by reason of demobilization.  He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge (CIB), the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 2 bronze service stars, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal. 

6.  According to Army Regulation 600-8-2, Military Awards, paragraph 3-13, a member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945, was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB), the Combat Medical Badge (CMB), or other certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat against an armed enemy, is eligible for award of the Bronze Star Medal (BSM).

7.  According to Army Regulation 600-8-22, Military Awards, the Army of Occupation Medal for Germany is authorized for soldiers who served 
30 consecutive days in Germany (exclusive of Berlin) between 9 May 1945 and 
5 May 1955.  Service between 9 May and 8 November 1945 will be counted only if the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal was awarded for service 
before 9 May 1945.  The 14th Armored infantry Battalion was authorized the Army of Occupation Medal for Germany for the period of 15 August to 31 October 1945.

CONCLUSIONS:

1.  The applicant's Enlisted Record and Report of Separation from World War II should show his combat unit of assignment as Provisional Company 4, 
14th Armored Infantry Battalion, 1st Armored Infantry Division.

2.  His separation certificate for the same period should show his combat unit of assignment as Provisional Company 4, 14th Armored Infantry Battalion, 1st Armored Infantry Division.

3.  He is authorized the following additional awards which should be noted on his Enlisted Record and Report of Separation and the medals provided to him: the Bronze Star Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal for Germany.

4.  In view of the foregoing, the applicant’s records should be corrected as recommended below.

RECOMMENDATION:

That all of the Department of the Army records related to this case be corrected for the individual concerned by:

	a.  issuing a new Honorable Enlisted Record and Report of Separation from World War II showing his combat unit of assignment as Provisional Company 4, 14th Armored Infantry Battalion, 1st Armored Infantry Division;

	b.  issuing him a new honorable separation certificate dated 6 November 1945 showing his rank as Private and his combat unit of assignment as Provisional Company 4, 14th Armored Infantry Battalion, 1st Armored Infantry Division: and

	c.  showing on his Enlisted Record and Report of Separation the following additional awards and providing him with the medals: the Bronze Star Medal and Army of Occupation Medal for Germany.

BOARD VOTE:  

__chl___  _slp_____  _clg ____  GRANT AS STATED IN RECOMMENDATION

________  ________  ________  GRANT FORMAL HEARING

________  ________  ________  DENY APPLICATION

		___Charles H. Loudermon_______
		        CHAIRPERSON

INDEX

CASE ID	AR1999015854	
SUFFIX		
RECON	YYYYMMDD	
DATE BOARDED	19990729	
TYPE OF DISCHARGE	(HD, GD, UOTHC, UD, BCD, DD, UNCHAR)	
DATE OF DISCHARGE	YYYYMMDD	
DISCHARGE AUTHORITY	AR . . . . .  	
DISCHARGE REASON		
BOARD DECISION	GRANT	
REVIEW AUTHORITY		
ISSUES         1.		
2.		
3.		
4.		
5.		
6.